Attention Customers: Get Out of the Store

SCRANTON — Some shoppers at Gerrity’s Supermarket in Scranton had to get out of the store so fast, that they left their groceries and shopping carts behind, all because someone phoned in a bomb threat to the store on Meadow Avenue.

Few cars, but lots of people filled the parking lot of the Meadow Avenue Gerrity’s in Scranton Monday afternoon as a dog sniffed out the supermarket, looking for a bomb.

“I think there’s some people out there that are bored and desperate, that’s what I think.”

Police say the person threatened to blow up the supermarket if the manager didn’t give him money.

Calls for evacuation came over the loudspeaker, forcing out some 75 employees and customers.

“The first thing was just the safety of the employees and the customers. I mean that’s really all that matters. You have insurance for the things, but not for the people,” said Gerrity’s co-owner Joe Fasula.

Shopper Ann Marie Freeman stuck out the wait in the parking lot.

“I’ve been waiting 45 minutes. I hate to go and do that shopping all over again,” said Freeman.

Police and fire crews responded. So did the K9 unit. But they found nothing suspicious inside.

After an hour, people were let back into the Gerrity’s.

“I said to my employees we always say we could write a book about the things that happen to us in retail. This one we don’t have a chapter for yet, but we do now,” said Fasula.

Customers like Freeman say this won’t stop them from shopping here.

“It’s such a common thing anymore, you know? I just figured just leave the building like they asked, so that’s what I did.”

The Gerrity’s has been open since about 12:45 p.m.

Police are working to track down the caller who made the threat. So far, no arrests have been made.